Cigarette Box

Abstract

A cigarette box having a hinged lid attached to a body portion having a compartment for receiving cigarettes or other smokers articles is provided with a control device for locking the lid for selectable periods of time in order to enable the user to restrict his access to cigarettes or the like stored within the compartment in the box.

Description

The invention relates to a cigarette box in the form of a box provided with a hinged lid and having a compartment for receiving cigarettes or other smoker's articles.

The object of the invention is to create a cigarette box enabling access to the smoker's article to be locked for freely selectable periods of time in order thereby to reduce consumption to an acceptable degree by such a compulsory measure, in that the closed lid provides a constant reminder to adhere to self-imposed limitations.

According to the invention there is provided a cigarette box comprising a hinged lid and having therein a storage space for smoker's articles as well as a time control device arranged for locking the lid in a closed position for settable intervals. A cigarette box of this kind can be used not only in maintaining necessary self discipline for limiting smoking but it can, for example, also be used in habit-curing establishments as the sole source of smoker's articles in withdrawal therapy.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette box according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship of the battery, pin switch, pin lock and time relay of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cigarette box 1 having a hinged lid 2. The box 1 has its body portion divided by a partition wall 3 into a storage compartment 4 for smoker's articles and an auxiliary compartment 5 for receiving a time control device preferably consisting of an electronic control block 6 and a battery 12, it being possible for this receiving compartment to be subdivided by a further partition wall 7 so as spacially to separate the control block 6 from the battery 12.

The electronic control block 6 is provided with a setting device 10 for setting periodical cycles of closing or opening and in the present case it has 2 holes 8 into which engage locking pins 9 located on the lid 2 which pins are adapted to be retained in the control block 6 and during a closing cycle can only be pulled out of the locked or closed position by the exertion of a substantial degree of force. Such a control block 6 may be so designed that a time relay 11 is actuated upon closing of the lid, which relay permits re-opening of the lid after expiry of a specific interval, the pins 9 acting as switching contacts.

In an alternative embodiment the lid can only be opened for a brief interval, or is to be opened and closed during a specific period of time so that when the correct moment has been missed renewed opening is only possible after the next following closing interval.

The size of the cigarette box may be such that the storage space 4 is the size of a conventional packet of cigarettes so as to enable such a cigarette box to be carried in the pockets of garments of the user. Typically the storage space 4 may be dimensioned to receive a packet of 10 cigarettes and the control block may have dimensions of 31 x 18 x 26 mm.

Claims

I claim:

1. A cigarette box having a body portion defining a storage space for smoker's articles and housing a timing device with a pin lock, and having a lid hinged to the body portion with at least one locking pin for engaging the timing device wherein the improvement comprises:

a presettable battery operated electronic control block having a time relay for causing said lid to be locked in its closed position for a predetermined interval of time;

at least one locking pin on said lid for engaging said battery operated electronic control block and actuating a time relay, said at least one locking pin defining a switching contact for initiating the actuation period of the time relay.